Umbrella



Nov. 30, 1948. J. ALVAREZ 7 2,455,283

UMBRELLA Filed Sept. 18 1945 INVENTOR. Bgafima Patented Nov. 39, 1948 2,455,288 UMBRELLA Octavio Jose Alvarez, New York, N. Y., assignor to Alvarez Patent Corporation, New York, N. Y.

Application September 18, 1946, Serial No. 697,683

11 Claims. 1

My present invention relates to new and useful improvements in umbrellas and more particularly to umbrellas of a type suitable for manufacture and sale at a low price for emergency purposes.

This invention has for one of its objects the provision of an improved emergency umbrella.

Another object of the present invention consists of an emergency umbrella which may be manufactured at a low cost, is compact when folded and takes a preferably substantially rectangular shape when opened.

A further object of my present invention is to provide an emergency umbrella which will be rigid and efficient when opened for use and can be conveniently carried in folded position.

Still another object of my present invention consists of an umbrella which can be easily and quickly assembled.

Finally, it is also an object of my present invention to provide an emergency umbrella which will be durable, efiicient and convenient to use as is consistent with the inexpensive manufacture necessary in an article which should be adapted to serve its purpose for a comparative short time only and then be discarded.

With the above objects in view an emergency umbrella according to my present invention comprises in combination a plurality of several elements, viz., a supporting structure composed of a plurality of supporting rib members having each an outer and an inner end and connected at their inner ends to each other so as to be foldable between inoperative position folded fiat into one plane and operative open position with their outer ends spaced from each other, an umbrella rod constructed so as to be attachable to the above defined supporting rib members at their connected inner ends and to be easily detachable therefrom, and an umbrella cover constructed so as to be easilyattachable to the outer ends of the supporting rib members mentioned above when the same are in operative open position and to be easily detachable therefrom, whenever desired.

Preferably the umbrella cover has a plurality of corners the number of which is equal to the number of the outer ends of the rib members and is constructed so as to be easily attachable at these corners to the outer ends of the .rib members in the manner set forth above.

four corners to the outer ends of the four rib members supporting the cover.

I have found it advisable to provide at the outer ends of the supporting rib members a plurality of so-called first attaching means which are adapted to co-operate with and engage a plurality of so-called second attaching means provided on the umbrella cover the same.

I wish to stress that it is an important feature at the edge of of my present invention that the above second attaching means are arranged on the umbrella cover in such a manner that they are adapted to engage the first attaching means at the ends of the supporting rib members only when these supporting rib members are in open position with their outer ends spaced from each other; in this manner thecover itself is holding the supporting rib members in operative open position preventme unintentional folding of the same into the inoperative folded position defined above.

An emergency umbrella of a particularly simple construction consists in accordance with my present invention of a plurality, preferably two flat supporting rib members having each two outer ends and a central rib portion, means connecting these fiat supporting rib members at their central rib portions to each other so that they are foldable about these connecting means between inoperative folded position superimposed upon "each other and operative open position with their outer ends spaced from each other, an umbrella rod of the above defined type, and an umbrella cover constructed so as to be easily attachable in themanner set forth above to the outer ends ,of the flat supporting rib members when the .same are in operative open position.

The novel features which I consider as characteristic for my invention are set forth in par- ,ticular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best un folded position shown in Fig. l.

derstood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the supporting structure of an umbrella according to my present invention, in inoperative folded position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the supporting structure shown in Fig. 1, in operative open position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an umbrella cover adapted to be used in combination with the supporting structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is-a perspective view of an umbrella rod adapted to be used in combination with a'supporting structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is an umbrella composed of umbrella parts shown in Figs. 1 to 4, in operative open position; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the umbrella shown in Fig. 5 in disassembled :packed position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the suppernngstrueture of an umbrella according to my present invention preferably consists of two fiat supporting rib members H1 and I! having each two outer'erids'IZ, l3 and 1'4, l5, respectively. These fiat supporting rib members 10 and H are made preferably of a bendable sheet material, e. g.,

"cardboard or a resilient plastic substance.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the two supporting rib members III and I ii are connected to each other at the central rib portions 16 by two rows of staples l1 and I8.

Furthermore, I provide at the outer ends [2, l3, l4 and ii of the supporting rib members HI and ll projecting portions I9, 20 and 2|, 22,

respectively serving as so-called first attaching means for securing the umbrellacover 23shown in Fig. 3 to the outer ends of the supporting structure.

The umbrella cover 23 is preferably rectangular-and provided at each of its'corners with an eyelet 24 serving as so-called second attaching means and adapted to engage the corresponding "projecting portions'lfi, 20, 2i "and 22 arranged at the outer ends of the flat supportingrib mer nbers i0 and II.

The cover 23 is shaped so that its length "is smaller than the length of the supporting rib member In and II when the same are in un However, the distance between the four corners of cover 23 and the eyelet 24 arranged at these corne'rs is chosen so that these eyelets are adapted t'oengage'the projecting'portions' I9, 28-, 2| and 22 if the supporting rib members 10 and I l are in the operative open position shown in Fig. '2.

The umbrella rod 25, shown in Fig. 4, is preferably made also of a cardboard or a plastic sheet material and provided at its top with a so narrow projecting portion 21 fitting into the slot-28 created by the connecting-staples- I1 and I8 between the'two fiat supporting rib members I0 and H.

-My new umbrella is assembled'as shown in- Fig. 5:

First the supporting structure is bent from its inoperative folded position'shown in-Fig-4 into the operative open positionshown in'Fig.'-2.

Then the umbrella 'cover 23 is unfolded'and the eyelets 24 are slipped, as shown in Fig. 5, over the correspondingprojecting-portions f9; '29, 2! and 22 arranged at the corresponding'outer ends l2, I3, I 4 and.- IE, respectively, of the 'fia't supporting rib-members Wand H. P

4 Then the upper narrow portion 21 of the umbrella rod 25 is pushed into the slot 28 between the two flat supporting rib members i0 and H.

In this position the umbrella is ready for use.

5 As the umbrella cover 23 is adapted to engage the projecting portions at the outer ends of the rib members H) and H only if the same are in open position, it is impossible that these rib members move from open position into folded position while the umbrella cover engages their outer ends.

After use it is possible to either discard the entire umbrella or. to fold it into a compact package as shownin Fig. 6.

It will be understoodthat each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of umbrellas differing from the type described above.

While I have illustrated and described the in- -20 verition as embodied in discardable emergency umbrellas, I do not intend to be limited to the ii et'ails show-n, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departih'gih any way from the spirit of my invention.

A Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully revealthegist of my invention that others canby'applying current knowledge readily "adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior 'art, fairly'constitute essential characteristics of the generi'c'or "specific aspectsof this invention,-and, therefore, such adaptations shoul'rland are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range-of 'equiv'alenc'e or the following claims.

What 1 claim as new and desire to f secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An umbrella comprising a supporting struc- "ture composed of a plurality of supporting rib members having outer and inner portions and 4-0 connected-at their inner portions to each other so as to be movable between inoperative positioncarrang'edfiat' in substantially one' plane and operative open position with their outer portions spaced from each other; an umbrella rod conistructed 'so' as to be attachable to'sai'd supporting rib memb'ers' at said connected innerporti'ons of thesame-and to be easily detachable therefrom; and anumbrella c'over'cons'tructed so'as to be easily-attachable to said'outer portions .of said supporting rib members when-the same are in said-operative position "and to be easily detachable therefrom; whenever desired.

2. :An umbrella'ccmprising a supporting structure-composed of four supportin rib members having outer and inner-portions and connected at their-inner portions to each other-so as to be -movable-between inoperative position arranged flatin-substantially one plane and operative open position'with theiro-uter portions spaced from "each other; an umbrellarod constructed so as to be attachable to said four supporting rib members at saidconnected inner portions of thesame and =to-be-easily=-detachable therefrom; and an umbrel-lacoverconstructed so as to be easily attachable'to said-fourouter portions of-said our supporting rib members when the sameare in said operative position and to r be easily detachable therefrom,\whenever desired.

3. An umbrella comprising a supporting strucqqturecomposcd of a plurality of supporting rib --members having outer and inner' portions and *connectedahtheir inner portions to each' other 'so as tobemovable between inoperative position arranged flat in substantiallylone plane and o'pi 5 erative openposition with their outer endsspace'd from each other; an umbrellarod constructed'so as tobe attachable to said supporting rib members at said connected inner portions of the same and to be easily detachable therefrom; and an umbrella cover having a plurality of corners, and constructed so as to be easily attachable at each of said corners to one of said outer portions of said: supporting ribmembers when the same are in said operative position and to be easily detachable therefrom, whenever desired.

4. An umbrella comprising a supporting structure composed of a plurality; of supporting rib members having each an outer and an inner portion and connected at their inner portions to each other so as to be movable between inoperative position arranged fiat in substantiall one plane and operative open position with their outer portions spaced from each other; an umbrella rod constructed so as to be attachable to said supporting rib members at said connected inner portions of the same and to be easily detachable therefrom; an umbrella cover; and attaching means provided on said umbrella cover constructed so as to be easily attachable to said outer portions of said supporting rib members when the same are in operative position and to be easily detachable therefrom, whenever desired.

5. An umbrella comprising a supporting structure composed of a plurality of supporting rib members having outer and inner portions and connected at their inner portions to each other so as to be movable between inoperative position arranged flat in substantially one plane and operative open position with their outer portions spaced from each other; an umbrella rod constructed so as to be attachable to said supporting rib members at said connected inner portions of the same and to be easily detachable therefrom; an umbrella cover having a plurality of corners; and attaching means secured to said umbrella cover at each of said corners of the same and constructed so as to be easily attachable to said outer portions of said supporting rib members when the same are in said operative position and to be easily detachable therefrom, whenever desired.

6. An umbrella comprising a supporting structure composed of a plurality of supporting rib members havin outer and inner portions and connected at their inner portions to each other so as to be movable between inoperative position arranged flat-in substantially one plane and operative open position with their outer ends spaced from each other; an umbrella rod constructed so as to be attachable to said supporting rib members at said connected inner portions of the same and to be easily detachable therefrom; an umbrella cover; a plurality of first attaching means arranged at said outer portions of said supporting rib members; and a plurality of second attachin means provided on said umbrella cover and constructed so as to easily engage said first attaching means at said outer portions of said supporting rib members when the same are in operative position and to be easily disengaged from the same, whenever desired.

7. An umbrella comprising a plurality of flat supporting rib members having each two outer ends and a central rib portion; means connecting said flat supporting rib members at said central rib portions of the same to each other so that said flat supporting rib members are foldable about said connecting means between inoperative position arranged fiat in substantially one plane and operative position With their outer ends spaced fromeach other; an umbrella rod co'nstructed so as to be attachable to said flat supporting rib members at said connected central rib portions of the same and to be easily detachable therefrom; and-an umbrella cover constructed so as to be easily attachable to said outer ends of said flat supporting rib members when the same are in said operative position and to be easily detachable therefrom, whenever desired.

8. An umbrella comprising two flat supporting rib members having each two outer ends and a central rib portion; means connecting said two flat supporting rib members at said central rib portions of the same to each other so that said two fiat supporting rib members are foldable about said connecting means between inoperative position superimposed upon each other and operative position with their outer ends spaced from each other; an umbrella rod constructed so as to be attachable to said two flat supporting rib members at said connected central rib portions of the same and to be easily detachable therefrom; and an umbrella cover constructed so as to be easily attachable to the outer ends of said two flat supporting rib members when the same are in said operative position and to be easily detachable therefrom, whenever desired.

9. An umbrella comprising a plurality of flat supporting rib members having each two outer ends and a central rib portion; means connecting said fiat supporting rib members at said central rib portions of the same to each other so that said fiat supporting rib members are foldable about said connecting means between inoperative position arranged flat in substantially one plane and operative position with their outer ends spaced from each other; an umbrella rod constructed so as to be attachable to said flat supporting rib members at said connected central rib portions of the same and to be easily detachable therefrom; and an umbrella cover having a pluralityof corners the number of which is equal to the number of said outer ends of said flat supporting rib members and constructed so as to be easily attachable at each of said corners to one of said outer ends .of said flat supporting rib members when the same are in said operative position and to be easily detachable therefrom, whenever desired.

10. An umbrella comprising a plurality of flat supporting rib members having each two outer ends and a central rib portion; means connecting said flat supporting rib members at said central rib portions of the same to each other so that said fiat supporting rib members are foldable about said connecting means between inoperative position arranged fiat in substantially one plant and operative position with their outer ends spaced from each other; an umbrella rod constructed so as to be attachable to said flat supporting rib members at said connected central rib portions of the same and to be easily detachable therefrom; an umbrella cover; and four attaching means secured to said umbrella cover and constructed so as to be easily attachable to the outer ends of said two flat supporting rib members when the same are in said operative position and to be easily detachable therefrom, whenever desired.

11. An umbrella comprising two flat supporting rib members having each two outer ends and a central rib portion; means connecting said two fiat supporting rib members at said central rib portions of the same to each other so that said two flat supporting rib members are fo1dgametes end of: one of said two flatisupporting rib members; and. four: second attaching means secured to; said umbrella. cover and constructed so as to easily engage said four first attaching means at the outer ends of. said two flat supporting rib membens when the sarne are in said: operative position and to be. easily detachable therefrom,

whenever desired.

OCTAVIO- JQSE ALVAREZ;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fiie of this patent:

UNITED STATES. PATENTS Number Name Date 1,457,679 Vincent June-5, 1923 1,501,560 Kean. et al'. July 15, 1924 

